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Optimum Paddle strop length/Rigid Strop, flex Strop?

Guys, two questions:

1)What is the optimum Paddle strop length?

2)Tony Miller said it was discussed but I can't find it on the forum so: Rigid Strop, Flex Strop, what are the advantages/disadvantages of both?
 

Legion

Staff member
By flex strop do you mean loom?

As far as paddles I've never been a believer in those ones that have the slats. If you are pressing hard enough to make those slats flex you are doing something wrong. Personally I just recommend leather bonded to flat wood. Size is really dependant on what you are using it for. I think the best size to use would be one that has the same stropping area as a hanging strop, but if you are using it for travel that would be impractical.

On a related note, I found this one in the wild yesterday. Made by Grelot. It is one of those flexy slat ones, very like the modern TI one.

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Tony Miller

Speaking of horse butts…
I have to agree with not believing in the slat type paddles. I have owned a few vintage ones as well as the TI version and the spring needed to flex them is way more than that used in stropping in my experience. The loom strops however work quite well as long as you remove the tension when done using them. It seems that relaxing the leather then tensioning it again helps to keep it laying flat. If under tension the entire time they seem to cup.

Ultimate length probably depends on how you wish to use the paddle. Obviously longer is better because you get more surface so need less strokes but if you need to pack it in a Dopp kit 10" total length is about it which leaves you with the TI choices. In regular luggage maybe a 10" to 12" stropping surface plus the added handle would be ideal. For use only at home, in place of a hanging strop you could probably build a 15" to 18" version as long as you had wood that would not warp.

Some people seem to have trouble with the hard, unyielding surfaces and this may be why the spring type became popular. A very slight give such as on the padded ones may make it a little easier to keep good contact as long as they did not give so much as to round the edge.

One other theory I had on the slatted, spring strops was maybe to help prevent warping. A solid thick piece of wood, depending on how it is cut in relation to the grain (plain sawn vs. quarter sawn) may warp over time causing cupping. Possibly by slatting it into thin sections, but still being a single piece of wood rather than a built up slatted design may be more resistant to warpage. Probably a good engineering question if someone was familiar with properties of woods.

Your mileage may vary of course :001_smile

Tony
 
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